Magnetic separator.



F. B. DUTTON & B. E. McKECHNlE. MAGNETIC SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR-2,1912.

1 14:6 1 41 Patented July 13, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. B DUTTON & B. E. McKECHNlE.

MAGNETIC SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR-2,1912.

Patnted July 13, 1915:

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l l6,l41.,

" ED sTATEs PATE T oEEICE. I

FRANCIS B. DUTTON AND BENJAMIN E. CKECIINIE, 0E LEBANON, PENNSYLVANIA,

AssIGNons TO PENNSYLV NIA sTEEL COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL- vANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MAGNETIC SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 13, 1915.

Application filed April 2, 1912. Serial No. 687,982.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANCIS B. DUTTON and BENJAMIN E. M KECHNIE, citizens of the United States, residing at Lebanon, county of Lebanon, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and use- .ful Improvements in Magnetic Separators, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in magnetic separators.

The invention especially relates to apparatus of a convenient and simple form for separating magnetic iron from non-magnetic impurities, the ore, in a crushed condition, being suspended in water or other su1t able liquid carrier, and the apparatus has been particularly designed for carrying out the method which forms the subject-matter of our application Serially Numbered 687,981, filed April 2, 1912, when it is desired to employ that method in wet separation.

As an understanding of the invention can best be had from a detailed description of an organization embodying the same, such description will now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings of a preferred form of apparatus, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 8-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to these drawings. 1 indicates a suitable framework on which the operative parts of the apparatus are supported. On the framework 1 is mounted a tank construction 2. which may be of suitable configuration for effecting the results desired. The tank 2 is mounted on the frame 1 so as to be movable thereon, for a purpose hereafter referred to. As shown, the tank rests on rollers 2 and can be moved by means of a screw-threaded rod 2* secured to the tank and a crank 2. The ore, in a crushed or powdered condition and suspended in water, is supplied to the tank 2 through a suitable feed pipe 3 delivering to a feed bOX 4 having a feed opening or slot 5, which regulates the flow of the Ore. From the feed box 5 the ore is delivered against a number of battles (ion a feed board 7 which, at its lower or delivery end, is slotted or apertured, as at 8. The baffles insure an even distribution of the crushed ore in solution or pulp, as it is termed, and an even and regular supply to the tank. Within the tank is a drum 10 supported so as to be rotatable on a non-rotatable shaft 11, suitable bearings being provided for the shaft. The drum is rotated in any suitable manner, as by pulley 10 on flanged sleeve 10 rotatable on shaft 11 andsecured to the sides of the drum. One of these sleeves 10 is secured on the drum at each end so asto make a water tight joint. The drum 10 is of nonmagnetic material and is supported so as to be partially immersed, or submerged,'in the liquid in the tank. The drum is, therefore, constructed so as to be water tight. Within the drum are located a plurality of magnets 12 12 having suitable pole pieces 13 arranged to be in close proximity to but free from the interior surface of the drum, some of these magnets, for a purpose hereinafter referred to, being beneath the level of the carrying liquid. The magnets 12 are sup ported in any suitable manner, as by spider 14 having arms 15, the spider being fast on the shaft 11, being fastened thereto as by set screws 16. The shaft 11 is provided beyond Its bearing at one end with a squared portlon 16 which is adapted to receive a lever or other suitable tool by which the shaft' may be turned or rocked on its bearings and the position of the magnets carried by the shaft adjusted in the drum as desired. The bottom of the tank 2 before referred to comprises walls17, 18, the wall 17 being at the feed end of the tank. This wall is inclined or sloped, inclining-toward the drum tangentially so that the space between the drum and the wall of the tank through which the crushed ore is fed narrows, being wider at the top or feed end andnarrowing as it approaches the drum. By moving the tank on the rollers 52*, before referred to, the distance between the wall of the tank and the drum those magnetic.

consequently, through a stronger field after the bulk of the magnetic particles has been removed, than if the whole separation were made at approximately one point, in which case the richer portion would be separated out so violently that many particles of nonmagnetic material would be drawn out w th Furthermore, by feeding the ore as described tangentially to the drum, and subjecting it to the action of the magnets beneath the surface of the carrylng liquid as it is so fed, the magnetic partlcles are separated or picked out by some of the magnets laterally in a sidewise direction, and these magnets do not have to Work directly against gravity and against the sur-' face tension of the liquid. This results in an improved separation, in that the particles falling freely past the magnets are more readily acted on by them. Preferably, the opposite wall 18 of the tank likewise slopes in order to permit thesludge or non-magnetic impurities to be inore readily drawn off through suitable tail pipes 19, the sludge settling readily and being guided to the tail pipe by the sloping walls of the tank.-

The liquid level in the tank is maintained so that the magnets which effect the separation of magnetic iron are below the level of the liquid in the tank. For various reasons it may-not be desirable that the liquid level in the tank be maintained by adding more or less water to the pulp before it enters feed'pipe 3. It is preferable that the liquid be furnished from an auxiliary source. To effect this, there is provided a suitable perforated water supply pipe 19 connected with a suitable source of water supply (not shown) which supplies additional needed water to the tank preferably in the form of a spray to assist in the even distribution of the feed of the pulp. This watersupply pipe 19 is positioned just in front of the feed box 4, before referred to, so as to evenly distribute the Water supplied over the pulp as it issues from the box. On the wall-18 of the tank before referred to isa dam 19",.

the liquid in the tank. This magnet does not operate to separate the magnetic iron, but acts to hold the separated particles on the carrier belt and prevents them from falling back into the tank, the remaining magnets efi'ecting the separation.

Suitable means are provided for removing the magnetic particles from the tank nearer as they are attracted by the magnets, which means may be somewhat varied. A convenient construction includes a carrier Which may be an endless belt 20 encircling the drum lO'and a smaller drum or roll 21 on a shaft 22. The roll 21 is adjustable and affords a suitable belt-tightening or adjusting device. A roller 23 is provided to lift the belt out of the tank at the delivery end. This carrier belt 20 is driven to run in a direction transverse or counter to the direction of feed of the crushed ore, as indicated by the arrows. The belt 20 thus carries away the material as it is separated out and deliversv it to a suitable apparatus, which may consist of an inclined chute 25 mounted on the framework 1 from which the iron is delivered as desired. The chute 25 is located below the roll 21, over which the carrier 20 runs. As the carrier turns about this roll,

the major part of the concentrates fall from the belt of their own weight into the chute. A portion may, however, adhere to the belt, and to remove it there is provided any suitable means, as a nozzle 26 for supplying water or air under pressure, which also tends dried by the course of the belt from the drum 10 to the roll 21, they may be much more thoroughly dried by the provision of further drying means. To this end therefore the carrying belt is made of canvas, fine wire mesh or other porous material, and there is. provided a suction apparatus 27 located under the belt at a suitable point, and connected with a suitable suction pump (not shown) so that as the concentrates pass along on the carrying belt the moisture is to a large extent removed therefrom.

g It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific type of apparatus shown and described, but that changes and variations may be made in the same without departing from the invention.

No claims are herein made to the method referred to. This method forms the subjectmatter of a separate application, referred to above, in which said method is claimed.

What is claimed is 1. In a magnetic separator, the combination of a receptacle adapted to hold a rela tively quiescent body of liquid, of a drum mounted to rotate in the liquid. a magnet supported in the drum, means for feeding material suspended in the carrying liquid toward the drum substantially tangentially thereto and reversely to the direction of rotation thereof so that the material is graduiie ally brought under the influence of the magnet.

2. In a magnetic separator, the combination with a tank containing liquid, of a drum mounted to rotate in the tank, a magnet stationarily supported in the drum below the surface level of the liquid in the tank, an adjustable inclined surface in the I tank along which the material is fed tangentially to the drum whereby it is brought gradually under the influence of the mag nets, means for feeding the material evenly along the surface, and a carrier moving in a counter direction to the direction in which the material is led for removing the material from the tank after it is separated.

3. In a magnetic separator, the combination with a tank containing liquid, of a drum mounted to rotate in the tank below the liquid level, a magnet stationarily supported in the drum below the surface level of the liquid in the tank, an inclined feed wall in the tank movable to and from ,the drum rection in which the material is fed for retank below the liquid level and reversely to the direction of feed, magnets stationarily mounted in the drum, an inclined feed wall in the tank for feeding the material suspended in a carrying liquid so as to bring it gradually under the influence of the magnets, means for varying the distance be tween the feed wall and the magnets, and a carrier for removing the separated material.

5. In a magnetic separator, the combination with a tank containing a body of relatively quiescent liquid and having an inclined feed wall to which material is fed, of a drum mounted to rotate in the tank below the liquid level and reversely to the direction of feed, magnets stationarily mounted within the drum, means for moving the tank for varying the distance between the feed wall thereof and the magnets, and a carrier for removing the separated material.

6. In a magnetic separator, the combination with a tank containing a body of relatively quiescent liquid to which the material is fed, of magnetic separating elements stationarily mounted in the tank below. the surface of the liquid, an inclined feed wall in the tank for'feedin g the material suspended in the carrying liquid so as to bring it gradually under the influence of the separating elements, means for varying the distance between the feed wall and the separating elements, and a carrier for removing the separated material.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANCIS B. DUTTON. BENJAMIN E. McKEOHNIE.

Witnesses:

HOWARD C. SHIRK, C. Bnssm LOSER. 

